Brick-forming mechanism



Jan. 4, 1927.

D.P. OGDEN BRICK FORMING MECHANISM Filed June 10, 1.924

5 Sheets-Sheet L D. P. OGDEN BRICK FORMING MECHtANISM Jan. 4, 1927.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 10. 1924 IIIIIIIIIIII 1111111011111 I1,613,567 Jan. 4, 1927. D. R OGDEN BRICK FORMING MECHANI SM Filed June10- 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 i atcnted Jan. 1927.

UNlTED STATES tense? Parser series;

DANA P. OGDEN, 0F OTTAWA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ERMILIPLITMB, 0F STREATOR, ILLINOIS.

BRICK-FORMING MECHANISM.

Application filed June 10, 1924. Serial No. 719,075.

This invention relates. to the handling and shaping of plastic material,having. been more particularly designed for handling and forming clayfrom the mass into bricks of the desired form having certain of theiredges rounded.

One of the chief factors heretofore entering into the cost of makingbrick is the large amount of manual labor expended largely in handlingand transporting the brick from one to a succeeding operation.

The present invention, therefore, provides mechanical handling andtransporting mechanism by which the green or unburnt bricks aretransferred from one operating mechanism to another and presented to'each in the proper manner for the desired operation or operations to beperformed thereon.

It is often desirable that certain of the edges of the bricks berounded. This invention. therefore, provides mechanism by which theserounded edges may be produced, and mechanism for turning the bricks between successive mechanisms to present the bricks ther to in the propermanner so that the rounding operat ons may be reduced to comparativelysimple actions and whereby the completely shaped bricks are left in relative positions facilitating their further handling for stackingpreparatory to drying and burning.

For a more complete understanding of this invention reference may be hadto the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents in somewhatdiagrammatic perspective the various operating and handling mechanismsconcerned in the carrying out of this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional perspective of a column of clay as issuing fromthe extruding die, the section being taken substantially on line 2-2 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective of the completely shaped brick.

Figure & is a top plan of the turning mechanism.

Figure 5 is a vertical section on line 55 of Figure l.

Figure 6 is a vertical detail section on line G-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a section on line 77 of Fig;- ure 1 of an edge-roundingmechanism.

- Figure 8 is a detail section on line 8-8 of t Fi ure 7.

Referring first to Figure 1., at 1. is indircated a portion of theextruding mechanism comprising a die through which the clay in theplastic mass is extruded in the form of a column 2 having a crosssection conforming to the front and rear faces of the bricks, as hereinshown the cross section being rectangular. This mechanism may be of anysuitable or usual character, its specific construction forming no partof this invention. Where a rectangular section is desired the diemechanism is preferably shaped to round. oil the edges of the column asshown at X in Figure 2.

The column is extruded on to a supporting. platform 3 and preferablymeans are provided within the extruding mechanism for supplying alubricant such as a mixture of castor oil and kerosene, a supply pipe 1being indicated for this purpose. This oil coats the surface of thecolumn, though it does not penetrate into it, due to the water containedtherein, and greatly facilitates sliding the column over the surface ofthe platform 3 toward a cutting off mechanism shown generally at 5.Details of this mechanism are also not concerned in the presentinvention, but as illustrated the mechanism comprises a plurality ofseries of spaced wires 6. the spacing of these wires being that of thedesired thickness of the bricks, the wires being brought down to cutthrough the column periodically to divide it into a plurality of bricksections along the lines a (Figures 1 and 2). The mechanism is also oldin the art and requires no detailed description.

It is evident that the green bricks sevcred from the column in thismanner are not disturbed from their original position in the column andalso that the edges formed by the severing operation are comparativelysharp. The bricks should be separated from each other so as to permitready handling thereof for later operations and certain of the sharpedgesformed by the cutting operation should be rounded over to conformto the requirements ofthe trade. For this purpose this inventionprovides "iechanism for separat ng the green bricks as cut from thecolumn and for turning them so that they may be passed longitudinallythrough mechanism constructed to round on the longitudinal edges at thecut faces.

The turning mechanism at T shown in poaisles relative to the cutting offmecl'ianism in Figure l is shown in detail in Figures 4.

and 6. It comprises a rotary circular table carried at the upper end ofa shaft 11, as shown the table being fixed to the under 'face of aflange 12 of a collar 13 keyed to the upper end of the shaft 11. Thisshaft is mounted inhearing portions 1% at upper and lower ends of asleeved standard 15, and below the lower bearing 14 a beveled gear 16 isfixed to the shaft 11.

Meshing therewith is a similar beveled gear 17 keyed to a tranw'erseshaft 18 journaled in bearings 19 and 20 depending from the standard 15.(he shutt 15% may be driven in any suitable manner, a belt pulcy beingshown thereon in Figure l. The table ll) at. one side of its axis isadjacent to the end oi the platform 3 which is cut away on a curve toconform substantially to its periphery. l lxtcnding bene h the table andin substantially axial al nement with the platform 3 i; a conveyor belt26 supported by suit-al'ile rollers 52? 'jornaled in side frame memliers28 which nr be'i'ormed as angle bars. The bricks as c from the columnare, therefore, adapted to pass over the end ot' the platform on to therotating table and from this table to be deposited on the upper face ofthe conveyor belt, 26, The table is rotated at a rate such that thedirectional com onent or the velocity of its outer portionlong;itudinally of the belt and the platform where the table is engagedby the bricks is at least bstantially equal to the speed oi the brickssupplied ther-eto, which is the rate at which the column is extrudedfrom the die mechanism 1.

As the bricks are taken on to the table theirrate of travel in thisdirection is increased due to the tact that the v-elocit of motion ofthe table longitudinall ot' the platform and conveyor at its diameter atright angles to the length of the platand the belt is greater than thecompemint in the same direction of points removed from this diameter.They are thus separated one from the other and are then turned somewhat,due to the angular motion of the table, this being shown by the dottedline position of a brick indicatec at in Figure i. In order that thesebricks may be properly handled by a succeeding edge-rounding mechanism,which will he later described, they should be turned so as to extendlongitudinally with the trav l of the belt conveyor 2". For this purposea curved abutment shown at has been provided with which the bricksengage when m partly turned position, as shown in Figure '3 the coin)onent of motion of the table a l lon 'itudinall 1 of the belt acting topush b r .L the brick along this abutment and orer the edge of thetable, which may be downwardly beveled to aid tlns action, on to thebelt in substantial alinoment therewith as shown in dotted lines at 36in Figure its 'hown this abutment comprises a curved plate Ell fixed toone leg of a corr spondingly curved angle iron 88 extending over thetable ill and fixed at one end by means oi? a gutset plate 39 to asupporting angle 40 mounted on the upper range of an angle ll whichpartially encloses the outer edge of the table and is tired to one ofthe guide members by means of the vertical angle piece 4-2. The oppositeend of the angle 33 also extends ence. The travel of the belt 26 she"therefore he n'iaterially faster than. the 1 ol extrusion of the columni'rom the die 1. The brick are now in po pass to the edgeeioundingmechanism shown in do tail in Figures '4' and 8 and somewhat c.grammatically at R in Figure l. This u'iechanisn'i comprise; a pair offlanged rollers or spools mounted to rotate about vertical axes andspaced apart a SLlliii'lfillt distance to permit the bricks tou passtherehetween. In order to insure that the bricks shall he proentedproperly thereto, a PM}! of stationz'iry guides 51 spaced to permit thebricks to pass therebetween e. d flared outwardly at their rear ends asat 52 may be positioned in advance of the rollers 50, the bricks pas ingtherehetween and being properly ahned thereby. The rollers or pools 50have upper and lower flanges provided with curved fillets 56 at llltliroots, these fillets being the active parts of the rollers and whichround the edges ot the bricks iiassmgr therebetwecn, the upper and lowerfaces of the bricks in relation to these rollers being: shown by theupper and lower dotted llllfi'l 57 m Figure 7. The lower flanges ofthese rollers are posi ioned closely adprcent the upper surlace ot thebelt Eli and act to raise the bricks slightly ell ot this belt as theypass therebctween.

Means is provided for rotating the e roll ers at a peripheral speedsubstantially equal to the rate of travel of the belt, it anything therate lXBIDQ slightly ell. than the rate of the belt. For this purposethe rollers are shown as carried at the lower ends or sleeves 60, beingheld trictionally thereon by means of caps 61 threaded on to the lowerends of thee collars and eng'aaging 1n counter-bored .po' .1 portions isin i e lo ers ant precsin e lie rollers against annular shoulderportions 63 ot the sleeve 60 formed by upper pertron-r of largerdiameter thereon. Each sleeve 60 IS supported for rotatlon on a shaft('41 l avmg its enlarged upper end keyed in a trill Slil lit)

bo s 66 in all upper frame member 67 of this mechanism. As shownthesleeve is supported from this shaft by ball bearii'igs (l8 and ('39adjacent either end thereof and each sleeve (it) is al o provided withan overhanging integral skirt. 70 on which is lined a ring 71 havingworm teeth out on the exterior thereof. A cross frame member 72 has apair of upstanding sleeve portions 723 which extend within the skirt 70,these sleeve portions having bearing liners '4 within which the sleevemay rotate. The worm teeth on the rings 71 are engaged by worms 75 keyedto a horizontal shaft 76, journaled in bearing members 77 and 78 in themachine frame by turning of which it is evident that the rollers 50 maybe rotated in opposite directions at the desired surface velocities. InFigure l a motor M is shown for driving the shaft 76.

in order that thebricks may pass between these rollers and be formedthereby with smooth rounded edges, it is preferable to lubricate therollers. This iiay be done by means of pads 80 having their ends 81hearing against the faces of these rollers and being pressedthereagainst by means of spring arms 82, the pads and spring arms beingfixed at their opposite edges to a support 88 extending parallel to theaxis of these rol ers, and as shown in Figure 1, depending from theupper frame member of this mechanism. To these pads is supplied alubrican't which may comprise a mixture of kerosene and castor oil,through the pipes wl'iich may have control valves 86 therein and beconnected to a pressure lubricating system of which the lubricating pipefor the die mechanism 1 may form a part. It will be noted that therollers are rotated against the edges of the pads as this is found togive the best results. Passing between the rollers 50 in this manner thelongitudinal edges Y, as shown in Figure 3, are progressively molded bythe fillets of the rollers and are thus rounded over, these edges beingat the cut faces produced by the action of the wires 6 of the cuttingelf mechanism. If desired, also, the surfaces of he rollers might be ofany other desired configuration or be provided with marks in cameo orintag'lio with whichit might be desired to mark the bricks. The edges Zof the brick (Figure 3) are not required by the trade to be rounded andare therefore left in the condition in which they are formed by thecutting oll mechanism. The bricks are now in condition to be dried andburned.

Having thus described an embodiment of this invention it should beevident to those skilled in the art that various changes andmodifications might be made therein without departing from its spirit orscope as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, means for forming a column ofplastic material, means for cutting said column into lengths, and meansfor progressively molding certain of the edges of the lengths at the cutfaces. 7

.2. ln a machine of the class de'icribed, means for extruding a columnof plastic material, means for cutting said column into lengths, andmeans acting to move each cut length clear of the column and then toturn said length through an angle of approximately 90".

3. In a machine of the class described, means for cutting a column ofplat-tic material into lengths, and means acting to move each cut lengthclear of the column and then to turn said length through an angle ofapproximately 90 p l. In a. machine of the class described, means forextruding a column of plastic material, means for cutting said columninto lengtlis, means for separating said lengths, and means forprogressively molding certain of the edges of said lengths at the cutfaces.

In a machine of the class described, means for forming a column ofplastic material, means for cutting said column into lengths, meansacting to move each cut length clear of the column and then to turn saidlength through an angle of approximatel 1 9'0 and means for roundincertain of the edges of each said length at its out faces.

(3. The method of shaping bricks which comprises extruding a column ofplastic brick-forming material of a cross section corresponding to aside face of the bricks, cutting said column into sections equal to thedesired thickness of the bricks, and progressively molding certain ofthe edges of the bricks at the cut faces.

7. The method of shaping bricks which comprises extruding a column ofplastic brick forming' material of a cross section corresponding to aside face of the bricks, cut ting said column into sections equal to thedesired thickness of the bricks, and progressively nioldi'ng thelongitudinal edges of the bricks at the cut faces.

8. The method of shaping bricks which comprises extruding a colnni'n ofplastic brick-forming material of a cross section corresponding to aside face of the derired bricks, cutting said column into sections equalto the desired thickness of the bricks, and passing said sectionsendwise between forming members shaped to mold progressively certainedges at the cut faces.

9. The method of shaping bricks which comprises extruding a column ofplastic brick-forming material of a cross section corresponding to aside face of the desired too bricks, cutting said column into sectionsequal to the desired thickness of the bricks, and passing said sectionsendwise between forming members shaped to mold progressivelylongitudinal edges at the cut faces.

10. In a machine of the class described, a rotary table, means fordelivering articles thereto whereby they are turned angularly byrotation of said table, and means for receiving and taking away thearticles from said table after they have been turned to a predeterminedextent.

11. In a machine of the class described, rotary table, means fordepositing a succession of articles on said table adjacent to its outeredge to be separated from each other and turned angularly by therotation of said table, a stationary guide against which said articlesengage to insure the turning of the artices to a predetermii'ied extent, and means for conducting the articles so turned away from saidtable.

12. In a machine of the class described, a rotary table, a. platformleading to said table and over which articles may be moved on to saidtable, a fixed guide against which the articles moved by said tableimpinge to cause said articles to assume a desired position differentfrom that on said platform, and a traveling belt having a portionpositioned beneath said table to receive the articles therefrom andcarry them away.

18. In a machine of the class described, a platform, a conveyor insubstantially axial alinement with said platform, and a rotary tablejournaled at one side of and projecting over said conveyor and in thesame plane with the adjacent end of said platform which conformssubstantially to the periphery thereof. V

14. In a machine of the class described, a platform, a conveyor insubstantially axial alinement with said platform, a rotary tablejournaled at one side of and projecting over said conveyor and in thesame plane with the adjacent end of said platform which conformssubstantially to the periphery thereof, and a stationary guide over saidtable and against which articles carried thereby from said platformimpinge and are turned to positions substantially at right angles tothose occupied on said platform, said guide also acting to directarticles so turned on to said conveyort-o be moved thereon from saidtable.

15. In a machine of the class described, a platform, a conveyor insubstantial alinement with said platform, and means interposed betweensaid platform and conveyor acting to increase the spacing bet-weenarticles moved thereto over the upper face of said platform, to turn thearticles to a desired extent angularly, and to deposit the articles onto said conveyor.

' 16. In a machine of the class described,

a platform, a conveyor in substantial alinement with said platform,means interposed between said platform and conveyor for receivingarticles from the platform, turning them to a desired angular extent,and then depositing them on said conveyor, and means for driving saidreceiving and turning means to increase the spacing of the articles asturned.

17. In con'ibination, means for conveying a succession of plasticbricks, and molding means acting on said bricks as conveyed to round oilcertain of the edges thereof.

18.'In combination. a. conveyor, means for positioning green brickslongitudinally on said conveyor, and rollers for rounding thelongitudinal edges of said bricks as they are being conveyed.

19. In combination, a pair of spaced rollers, means for feeding greenbricks end on between said rollers, gears on sa d rollers, a shafthaving worms mounted thereon meshing with said gears to turn the rollersin opposite direction, and means for rotating said shaft.

20. The combination with a conveyor on which plastic articles may beplaced to be carried thereby, of rollers to the nip of which saidarticles are passed by said conveyor, said rollers being adapted to rollsaid articles between them, and to modify the contours thereof.

21. In combination with a conveyor on which green bricks may besupported and moved, a pair of members between which said bricks aremoved by said conveyor, said members being shaped to round all thelongitudinal edges of the bricks passed therebetween.

22. The combination with a conveyor on which green bricks may besupported and moved, of a pair of rollers to the nip of which saidbricks are moved by said conveyor, said rollers acting to round all thelongitudinal edges of the bricks rolled therebetween.

23. In combination, a conveyor on which green bricks may be supportedarranged endwise, and a pair of flanged rollers having fillets at thebases of said flanges and being spaced to permit the bricks to be passedtherebetw-een, said fillets acting to round the longitudinal edges ofsaid bricks.

24. In combination, a conveyor on which green bricks may be supportedarranged endwise, a pair of flanged rollers having fillets at the basesof said flanges and being spaced to permit the bricks to be passedtherebetween, SELlCl fillets acting to round the longitudinal edges ofsaid bricks, and means for supplying a lubricant to the peripheries ofsaid rollers.

25. In combination, a conveyoron which green bricks may be supportedarranged endwise, a pair of flanged rollers having lift) fillets at thebases of said flanges and being spaced to permit the bricks to be passedtherebetween, said fillets acting to round the longitudinal edges ofsaid bricks, and means for rotating said rollers.

2-6. In combination, a conveyor on which green iricks may be supportedarranged endwise, a pair of flanged rollers having fillets at the basesof said flanges and being spaced to permit the bricks to be passedtherebetween, said fillets acting to round the longitudinal edges ofsaid bricks, and pads pressed against the peripheries of said roll ers,means for rotating said rollers, and means for supplying lubricant tosaid pads.

27. The method of shaping bricks, which comprises extruding a column ofplastic brick-forming material of a cross section corresponding to aside face of the bricks, cutting said column into sections equal to thedesired thickness of the bricks, and. progressively molding thelongitudinal edges of the bricks into rounded form.

28. A step in the method of shaping bricks, which comprisesprogressively molding the longitudinal edges of the green brick intorounded form.

29'. The method of rounding certain of the edges of green bricks whichcomprises passing the bricks between flanged rollers having fillets atthe bases of said flanges to contact with the edges to be rounded. androtating said rollers in the direction of the passage of said bricks andat substantially the same surface velocity.

30. The method of rounding certain of the edges of green bricks whichcomprises rolling said bricks between a pair of spaced rollers havingrounded surface portions with which said edges are contacted.

31. ln a machine of the class described, a supporting plate over which acolumn of plastic articles may be moved, the forward end of said plateterminating along a line diagonal to the line of progression of saidcolumn, and a conveyor in line with said plate and moving in thedirection of progression of said column and at a faster rate to receivethe articles as they pass over the diagonal end of said plate, the upperface of said conveyor being at a higher level than the upper face ofsaid plate closely adjacent to said diagonal end.

In testimony whereof I have afiiX-ed my signature.

DANA P. OGDEN.

